Some people are just downright clever. They know how to go the extra mile. To always be one step ahead of everyone else. To see solutions where there are none. And what makes them so unique? Their ability to seize each opportunity that comes knocking, and their willingness to realize their full potential. They want to fly, to succeed and to monetize their time. Inspiring, isn’t it?

One of the tactics that these smart individuals employ is to undertake as many ventures as they possibly can while they are in their prime of age. This includes managing more than one side hustle, alongside the full-time 9 to 5 job. Yes, this effective utilization of their spare time keeps them above the vicious economic circle and allows them to save some money. Plus, it brings diversity in their income and gives them a chance to plan a lavish future. According to the Intuit 2020 Report, nearly one-third of the whole US workforce engages in such freelancing activities, and this number is only expected to grow with the advancing years.

So, what kind of side hustle can you hope to indulge in while maintaining your career? Check out some of the best ideas below.

1. Wedding Planner

Orchestrating a wedding is nothing short of a herculean task for both the parties involved. What with all the event planning and guest inviting, a helping hand is a blessing for the bride and groom. You can step into this management role and actually make loads of bucks through it. Truth be told, the wedding industry is a thriving one.

Start your initiative, name your brand, market it effectively online, get a hold of credible vendors and reach out to the clients via a reliable internet connection, as acquired from those amazing Cox internet plans. A friend of mine makes up to $14,000 a year through his wedding planning venture while juggling a full-time job.

2. Online Counselor/Tutor

People are always looking for expertise on the web regarding things that trouble them on a daily basis. Whether it is something as simple as a particularly stubborn recipe, or something as paramount as the mental health issue—if you have the necessary skill to help people tackle with these conundrums, I say utilize it.

Create a forum on the web and start reaching out to people. Apply for a certification on the side, and raise the rate per session. This is a good side hustle, which could potentially develop into a career. Plus, the counselling/tutoring business is a pretty flexible one, given its online nature and the large pool of people looking for advice on the web. Do give it a try. Hosting sites like Tutor.com or Chegg allows educators to earn around $20 to $25 per session.

3. Product Seller

After services, let us come to goods. If you have a penchant for selling products either of your own making or someone else’s, then I would suggest that you convert this talent into a side hustle. There are proper online marketplaces for this purpose.

For instance, a friend of mine has been selling a variety of items on eBay for over nine years, and due to his established credibility, he makes around $600 per month through this. How cool is that!?

4. Uber/Lyft Driver

Ridesharing services are wildly popular these days due to the massive locomotive convenience they provide to the people. According to Glassdoor, the average base salary of an Uber driver is $43,293/yr, while that of a Lyft driver is $38,247/yr. Meaning, it is a great opportunity for saving some money on the side. Moreover, all you would need to do is apply for the position, install the app and complete as many rides as you can successfully.

5. Virtual Assistant

Large-scale organizations have multiple operations to take care of in a matter of minutes. They need all the help they can get to take some of those time-consuming tasks off their shoulders. This is where virtual assistants come in handy. If you have good organizational and management skills, then you can totally do this side job for a flourishing business. As most of the proceedings will be done online, you’d need not worry about your physical presence. FYI, Payscale records the salary of an average virtual assistant to be around $15.57 per hour.

6. Influential Blogger

Instagram and Snapchat are all the rage these days, especially with young adults. These platforms allow them to express their uniqueness and marvel at the lifestyle of their idols. You can totally take advantage of this trend.

Start a travel or fashion blog/vlog/podcast or something in this line. Optimize it with paid or SEO marketing strategies to become the next viral sensation. Once you have built up a sizeable fan following, you will start earning money. Trust me. A popular food blogging friend of mine makes $18,000 a year through this side hustle of hers.

7. Home Renter

The travelling community is all in praise for accommodation services like Airbnb and Couchsurfing. Why shouldn’t they be? These firms make budget-travel look like a piece of cake. You can take advantage of their rising popularity by hosting your home on rent over Airbnb. It is quite easy.

Just make an account on this secure site, apply for hosting, decide your availability and your rates, sign the T&C and welcome your first guest. Depending on your location, you can earn as much as $924 per month, according to an entry in Reader’s Digest.

8. Children’s Book Author

If your regular day job is an awfully bland one like typing data into computers, then you can find an outlet for your creative soul through a nice side hustle. One that many people recommend is ‘Children’s Literature’. This field is an eternal one. So, if you invest in this, you won’t regret it.

Compose an amazing, out-of-the-box children’s book, get it published online and put it up on Amazon after creating its hype on the social media platforms, and then wait for the profits to roll in.

In conclusion, if you give these side hustles a shot, then you will surely earn a wonderful financial stability in days to come.

Born in Lincolnshire, Illinois and moving past all hurdles that came her way to NYC – Sage has seen it all. Rekt the world with her ‘been there and done that’ attitude and showed nothing but compassion to animals and plants. Owning 3 cats, at the moment, she wants to open an animal sanctuary in time alongside pushing forth her writing career.

Sage works as a digital marketer and is loved not just as the human she is but also because of her work and passion.

Some people are just downright clever. They know how to go the extra mile. To always be one step ahead of everyone else. To see solutions where there are none. And what makes them so unique? Their ability to seize each opportunity that comes knocking, and their willingness to realize their full potential. They want to fly, to succeed and to monetize their time. Inspiring, isn’t it?
One of the tactics that these smart individuals employ is to undertake as many ventures as they possibly can while they are in their prime of age. This includes managing more than one side hustle, alongside the full-time 9 to 5 job. Yes, this effective utilization of their spare time keeps them above the vicious economic circle and allows them to save some money. Plus, it brings diversity in their income and gives them a chance to plan a lavish future. According to the Intuit 2020 Report, nearly one-third of the whole US workforce engages in such freelancing activities, and this number is only expected to grow with the advancing years.
So, what kind of side hustle can you hope to indulge in while maintaining your career? Check out some of the best ideas below.

1. Wedding Planner

Orchestrating a wedding is nothing short of a herculean task for both the parties involved. What with all the event planning and guest inviting, a helping hand is a blessing for the bride and groom. You can step into this management role and actually make loads of bucks through it. Truth be told, the wedding industry is a thriving one.
Start your initiative, name your brand, market it effectively online, get a hold of credible vendors and reach out to the clients via a reliable internet connection, as acquired from those amazing Cox internet plans. A friend of mine makes up to $14,000 a year through his wedding planning venture while juggling a full-time job.

2. Online Counselor/Tutor

People are always looking for expertise on the web regarding things that trouble them on a daily basis. Whether it is something as simple as a particularly stubborn recipe, or something as paramount as the mental health issue—if you have the necessary skill to help people tackle with these conundrums, I say utilize it.
Create a forum on the web and start reaching out to people. Apply for a certification on the side, and raise the rate per session. This is a good side hustle, which could potentially develop into a career. Plus, the counselling/tutoring business is a pretty flexible one, given its online nature and the large pool of people looking for advice on the web. Do give it a try. Hosting sites like Tutor.com or Chegg allows educators to earn around $20 to $25 per session.

3. Product Seller

After services, let us come to goods. If you have a penchant for selling products either of your own making or someone else’s, then I would suggest that you convert this talent into a side hustle. There are proper online marketplaces for this purpose.
For instance, a friend of mine has been selling a variety of items on eBay for over nine years, and due to his established credibility, he makes around $600 per month through this. How cool is that!?

4. Uber/Lyft Driver

Ridesharing services are wildly popular these days due to the massive locomotive convenience they provide to the people. According to Glassdoor, the average base salary of an Uber driver is $43,293/yr, while that of a Lyft driver is $38,247/yr. Meaning, it is a great opportunity for saving some money on the side. Moreover, all you would need to do is apply for the position, install the app and complete as many rides as you can successfully.

5. Virtual Assistant

Large-scale organizations have multiple operations to take care of in a matter of minutes. They need all the help they can get to take some of those time-consuming tasks off their shoulders. This is where virtual assistants come in handy. If you have good organizational and management skills, then you can totally do this side job for a flourishing business. As most of the proceedings will be done online, you’d need not worry about your physical presence. FYI, Payscale records the salary of an average virtual assistant to be around $15.57 per hour.

6. Influential Blogger

Instagram and Snapchat are all the rage these days, especially with young adults. These platforms allow them to express their uniqueness and marvel at the lifestyle of their idols. You can totally take advantage of this trend.
Start a travel or fashion blog/vlog/podcast or something in this line. Optimize it with paid or SEO marketing strategies to become the next viral sensation. Once you have built up a sizeable fan following, you will start earning money. Trust me. A popular food blogging friend of mine makes $18,000 a year through this side hustle of hers.

7. Home Renter

The travelling community is all in praise for accommodation services like Airbnb and Couchsurfing. Why shouldn’t they be? These firms make budget-travel look like a piece of cake. You can take advantage of their rising popularity by hosting your home on rent over Airbnb. It is quite easy.
Just make an account on this secure site, apply for hosting, decide your availability and your rates, sign the T&C and welcome your first guest. Depending on your location, you can earn as much as $924 per month, according to an entry in Reader’s Digest.

8. Children’s Book Author

If your regular day job is an awfully bland one like typing data into computers, then you can find an outlet for your creative soul through a nice side hustle. One that many people recommend is ‘Children’s Literature’. This field is an eternal one. So, if you invest in this, you won’t regret it.
Compose an amazing, out-of-the-box children’s book, get it published online and put it up on Amazon after creating its hype on the social media platforms, and then wait for the profits to roll in.
In conclusion, if you give these side hustles a shot, then you will surely earn a wonderful financial stability in days to come.
Born in Lincolnshire, Illinois and moving past all hurdles that came her way to NYC – Sage has seen it all. Rekt the world with her ‘been there and done that’ attitude and showed nothing but compassion to animals and plants. Owning 3 cats, at the moment, she wants to open an animal sanctuary in time alongside pushing forth her writing career.Sage works as a digital marketer and is loved not just as the human she is but also because of her work and passion.

]]>https://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/8-profitable-side-hustles-which-will-buff-up-your-savings-in-2019/feed/0How to Create a Master Plan for Your Lifehttps://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/how-to-create-a-master-plan-for-your-life/
https://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/how-to-create-a-master-plan-for-your-life/#commentsFri, 18 Jan 2019 06:11:55 +0000https://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/?p=62065You're reading How to Create a Master Plan for Your Life, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you're enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Did it ever occur to you that doing things according to a specific plan could boost your productivity? If you’ve never done this before, then, it is definitely high time to comprise a master plan. That is to say, you should establish individual goals and targets and focus on accomplishing them.

This will make you accomplish an immeasurable sense of satisfaction. Balance is, of course, the key element that allows you to remain focused on your targets. But balance isn’t accomplished overnight. It takes a lot of work, perseverance and determination. In addition to that, it is up to you to customize your own goals depending on your given circumstances.

Each action you take represents an element that could work towards your success or the other way around. This is what makes it compulsory for you to create a sort of plan for your life. By developing and determining the actions of each day, week and month, you will manage to create a bigger design, outlook of your life. Planning tends to give us a greater perspective of our lives, not to mention the sense of inner satisfaction you experience when you realize that your plans are turning into reality.

Defining What a Master Plan Is

Before we concentrate on presenting the steps you should follow for creating a master plan, we’d like to define what a master plan actually is. In essence, a master plan represents an outline, indicating what you wish to accomplish in three years’ time. At the same time, the master plan is systematically divided into smaller sections. These sections outline what you ought to do on a weekly basis to accomplish your long-term goals.

It is actually proven that strategic planning represents the key to long-term success. This is why leaders direct a lot of their time into this direction. We have finite resources when it comes to energy, time or money. This is why each individual ought to focus on the things that are really important, as opposed to focusing your energy on numerous aspects that lack significance.

That being said, here are the main steps that can help you in this direction.

Pinpoint The Things That Motivate You

Before creating a master plan, you ought to pinpoint the triggers that motivate you to work hard. These will vary depending on the person. What you have to do is simply mention these things and try to connect the way in which they are associated with your long-term goals. The importance of motivation is paramount; without a sense of motivation, it is quite challenging to stay on track.

With that in mind, you shouldn’t neglect the importance of motivation, but try to come up with ways in which you can maintain it over the years of your master plan.

Determine Your Skills, Experience and Knowledge

Evidently, what you wish to accomplish over the course of the following years will have to do with your experience, skills and knowledge. For instance, if I want to become a published author, then, my ultimate goal would be to write for a living. However, that would be a work in progress, of course, as this cannot be accomplished overnight, as much as I’d want to.

For example, in the case of a personal injury lawyer, one cannot have the chance of professing in this domain without the experience, skills and knowledge required. To that end, make sure you have what it takes to accomplish what you want.

Answer the “Why” Question

It’s also important to determine why you want to accomplish specific goals. Asking this question will allow you to determine the specific intent behind every goal, and whether it is the right thing for you or not. After pinpointing the actual root behind your desires, you can actually accomplish your goals in a more productive manner.

Concentrate on The Most Important

Moving on, in order to accomplish what you want, you ought to focus solely on the most important things. While we would like to accomplish a lot, sometimes, we might be tempted to expect too much of us, or simply want things that wouldn’t bring us any satisfaction or joy.

To that end, you should ask the following question: out of all these goals, which of them do I want to achieve mostly? You cannot work towards accomplishing numerous goals, especially if they’re not interlinked, as this will throw you off and even make you feel confused.

In summary, you can, of course, customize the way in which you convey your master plan. As each person tends to have an individual way of perception, which is why there aren’t any clear-cut paths that apply to all people. Keep testing until you find out what triggers your motivation and passion, and you’ll be on the right path.

Did it ever occur to you that doing things according to a specific plan could boost your productivity? If you’ve never done this before, then, it is definitely high time to comprise a master plan. That is to say, you should establish individual goals and targets and focus on accomplishing them.
This will make you accomplish an immeasurable sense of satisfaction. Balance is, of course, the key element that allows you to remain focused on your targets. But balance isn’t accomplished overnight. It takes a lot of work, perseverance and determination. In addition to that, it is up to you to customize your own goals depending on your given circumstances.
Each action you take represents an element that could work towards your success or the other way around. This is what makes it compulsory for you to create a sort of plan for your life. By developing and determining the actions of each day, week and month, you will manage to create a bigger design, outlook of your life. Planning tends to give us a greater perspective of our lives, not to mention the sense of inner satisfaction you experience when you realize that your plans are turning into reality.
Defining What a Master Plan Is
Before we concentrate on presenting the steps you should follow for creating a master plan, we’d like to define what a master plan actually is. In essence, a master plan represents an outline, indicating what you wish to accomplish in three years’ time. At the same time, the master plan is systematically divided into smaller sections. These sections outline what you ought to do on a weekly basis to accomplish your long-term goals.
It is actually proven that strategic planning represents the key to long-term success. This is why leaders direct a lot of their time into this direction. We have finite resources when it comes to energy, time or money. This is why each individual ought to focus on the things that are really important, as opposed to focusing your energy on numerous aspects that lack significance.
That being said, here are the main steps that can help you in this direction.

Pinpoint The Things That Motivate You

Before creating a master plan, you ought to pinpoint the triggers that motivate you to work hard. These will vary depending on the person. What you have to do is simply mention these things and try to connect the way in which they are associated with your long-term goals. The importance of motivation is paramount; without a sense of motivation, it is quite challenging to stay on track.
With that in mind, you shouldn’t neglect the importance of motivation, but try to come up with ways in which you can maintain it over the years of your master plan.

Determine Your Skills, Experience and Knowledge

Evidently, what you wish to accomplish over the course of the following years will have to do with your experience, skills and knowledge. For instance, if I want to become a published author, then, my ultimate goal would be to write for a living. However, that would be a work in progress, of course, as this cannot be accomplished overnight, as much as I’d want to.
For example, in the case of a personal injury lawyer, one cannot have the chance of professing in this domain without the experience, skills and knowledge required. To that end, make sure you have what it takes to accomplish what you want.

Answer the “Why” Question

It’s also important to determine why you want to accomplish specific goals. Asking this question will allow you to determine the specific intent behind every goal, and whether it is the right thing for you or not. After pinpointing the actual root behind your desires, you can actually accomplish your goals in a more productive manner.

Concentrate on The Most Important

Moving on, in order to accomplish what you want, you ought to focus solely on the most important things. While we would like to accomplish a lot, sometimes, we might be tempted to expect too much of us, or simply want things that wouldn’t bring us any satisfaction or joy.
To that end, you should ask the following question: out of all these goals, which of them do I want to achieve mostly? You cannot work towards accomplishing numerous goals, especially if they’re not interlinked, as this will throw you off and even make you feel confused.
In summary, you can, of course, customize the way in which you convey your master plan. As each person tends to have an individual way of perception, which is why there aren’t any clear-cut paths that apply to all people. Keep testing until you find out what triggers your motivation and passion, and you’ll be on the right path.

They said that a goldfish has a low attention span. Little do they know, we are not any better. According to a study from Microsoft, the average human has an 8-second attention span. That is even less than a goldfish by one second. I personally believe that the number has also shrunk over time because our digital world keeps moving fast. And we are always seeking out for what’s new and what’s next all the time.

You might develop an easily-distracted habitthat is making it difficult for you to complete your work in an efficient manner, but the good news is that there are several ways to improve your focus and concentration. Here is a list of effective ways you can begin to use today.

1: Avoid Multitasking Too Much

You might think that performing several tasks at the same time is a great way to finish more projects, but this can lead to making errors because you must change your mental focus all the time. In addition, as you switch from one activity to another, you may need more tools to complete a task, causing you to waste time and eventually lose your focus. While multitasking occasionally is a good idea, try to avoid this work habit would be a better idea.

2: Have a Written Schedule

Rather than working on tasks randomly, create a written schedule to get more accomplished. You can place a written schedule on your desk or wall to remind you when you can take a break. A schedule at work might include making a certain number of telephone calls to prospective clients or writing several emails to current customers. By having a written schedule, you will become more focused on what you need to do each day.

3: Taking Breaks Occasionally

You might think that taking breaks while working is a waste of time, but this is a wrong assumption. It is important to take breaks throughout the day to clear your mind, engage in physical activity, brain exercises or consume a nutritious meal. Find a quiet place at work where you can meditate, go outside for a walk in the sunlight or eat a fantastic lunch to recharge your mind and body.

4: Give Your Brain a Challenge

Puzzle games can improve your mental flexibility. Whether they are jigsaw puzzles, serpent puzzles, Rubik’s cubes or chinese checkers, they challenge you to expand on your usual approaches to problem-solving. The puzzle games are varied in their genres. Do you know that even the video game can help you to improve mental abilities? However, in your break time, it is best to do something off the screen. Taking part in daily strategy games like this is also a good way to help you improve your mental focus.

5: Create Your Own Deadlines For Completing Tasks

Learn how to manage your time effectively by creating your own written deadlines for tasks. If you have 30 days to write a term paper for a class, then it doesn’t mean that you actually need to wait until the last day to begin researching and writing it. By creating your own deadlines to finish a project, you can break it down into rough steps, making it easier to write an excellent term paper that will receive a high score from a professor.

6: Stay Away From Distractions

Stay away from unnecessary distractions while working in order to complete a job faster. Some of the most common distractions while working include stopping to talk to coworkers, watching television or reading your email. Close your office door, disconnect the cable from your television and use self-control to avoid reading the messages from friends.

7: Do What You Enjoy First

There are probably several tasks at work that you enjoy completing more than other tasks, and if you finish these jobs first, then you will have extra time to work on the difficult or less enjoyable tasks. Think carefully about the tasks that make you feel energized doing them, and place these jobs on the top of your daily work list.

8: Manage Your Own Well-being

To boost your own productivity, make sure to manage your own well-being by eating nutritious foods, exercising and getting enough sleep. Monitor yourself of how you feel with the change you might make in your daily routine. This is to see what works best for you. If you feel fantastic, then you are going to have a brain that focuses longer and works better, making it possible to complete tasks efficiently

9: Meditation

Meditation is notorious for relaxation that can greatly improve your ability to concentrate and focus. By spending a few minutes in meditation, you can noticeably restore your calm and inner peace. Meditation is for anyone. It's simple and inexpensive, and it doesn't require any special equipment. All you need is your mind to

10: Turn Off Your Cell Phone

While having a cellphone is a great modern convenience, it is a huge distraction and it can also waste a lot of your time. If you are addicted to your cell phone, then you may need to turn it off while you are working to avoid reading texts or making calls to friends. By keeping your cell phone turned off while you are working, you will focus on your tasks better, helping you get things done.

They said that a goldfish has a low attention span. Little do they know, we are not any better. According to a study from Microsoft, the average human has an 8-second attention span. That is even less than a goldfish by one second. I personally believe that the number has also shrunk over time because our digital world keeps moving fast. And we are always seeking out for what’s new and what’s next all the time.You might develop an easily-distracted habitthat is making it difficult for you to complete your work in an efficient manner, but the good news is that there are several ways to improve your focus and concentration. Here is a list of effective ways you can begin to use today.

1: Avoid Multitasking Too Much

You might think that performing several tasks at the same time is a great way to finish more projects, but this can lead to making errors because you must change your mental focus all the time. In addition, as you switch from one activity to another, you may need more tools to complete a task, causing you to waste time and eventually lose your focus. While multitasking occasionally is a good idea, try to avoid this work habit would be a better idea.

2: Have a Written Schedule

Rather than working on tasks randomly, create a written schedule to get more accomplished. You can place a written schedule on your desk or wall to remind you when you can take a break. A schedule at work might include making a certain number of telephone calls to prospective clients or writing several emails to current customers. By having a written schedule, you will become more focused on what you need to do each day.

3: Taking Breaks Occasionally

You might think that taking breaks while working is a waste of time, but this is a wrong assumption. It is important to take breaks throughout the day to clear your mind, engage in physical activity, brain exercises or consume a nutritious meal. Find a quiet place at work where you can meditate, go outside for a walk in the sunlight or eat a fantastic lunch to recharge your mind and body.

4: Give Your Brain a Challenge

Puzzle games can improve your mental flexibility. Whether they are jigsaw puzzles, serpent puzzles, Rubik’s cubes or chinese checkers, they challenge you to expand on your usual approaches to problem-solving. The puzzle games are varied in their genres. Do you know that even the video game can help you to improve mental abilities? However, in your break time, it is best to do something off the screen. Taking part in daily strategy games like this is also a good way to help you improve your mental focus.

5: Create Your Own Deadlines For Completing Tasks

Learn how to manage your time effectively by creating your own written deadlines for tasks. If you have 30 days to write a term paper for a class, then it doesn’t mean that you actually need to wait until the last day to begin researching and writing it. By creating your own deadlines to finish a project, you can break it down into rough steps, making it easier to write an excellent term paper that will receive a high score from a professor.

6: Stay Away From Distractions

Stay away from unnecessary distractions while working in order to complete a job faster. Some of the most common distractions while working include stopping to talk to coworkers, watching television or reading your email. Close your office door, disconnect the cable from your television and use self-control to avoid reading the messages from friends.

7: Do What You Enjoy First

There are probably several tasks at work that you enjoy completing more than other tasks, and if you finish these jobs first, then you will have extra time to work on the difficult or less enjoyable tasks. Think carefully about the tasks that make you feel energized doing them, and place these jobs on the top of your daily work list.

8: Manage Your Own Well-being

To boost your own productivity, make sure to manage your own well-being by eating nutritious foods, exercising and getting enough sleep. Monitor yourself of how you feel with the change you might make in your daily routine. This is to see what works best for you. If you feel fantastic, then you are going to have a brain that focuses longer and works better, making it possible to complete tasks efficiently

9: Meditation

Meditation is notorious for relaxation that can greatly improve your ability to concentrate and focus. By spending a few minutes in meditation, you can noticeably restore your calm and inner peace. Meditation is for anyone. It's simple and inexpensive, and it doesn't require any special equipment. All you need is your mind to

10: Turn Off Your Cell Phone

While having a cellphone is a great modern convenience, it is a huge distraction and it can also waste a lot of your time. If you are addicted to your cell phone, then you may need to turn it off while you are working to avoid reading texts or making calls to friends. By keeping your cell phone turned off while you are working, you will focus on your tasks better, helping you get things done.

In 2015, I made a New Years resolution. At the start of each day, I would review what I had done the previous day and log it in a text file. This wouldn’t be literally everything (Otherwise it would get rather tedious); just things that were worth remembering or indicated some kind of action had been taken that would move me forward, no matter how small. If I made a new recipe, it would go in. If I saw a new movie, it would go in. Four years later, and I can safely say that this is one of the best decisions I have ever made. These are some of the ways recapping my days has changed my life.

Gives my life an arc

There’s a famous quote from C.S. Lewis: “Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back everything is different?” Life can feel like it’s rushing by you, and you can easily lose of track and how you got to where you are. By logging my days (usefully in single sentences; this isn’t a lengthy diary), I can more easily trace how I got to where I am now When did I move into my current residence? When did I leave a previous job? When I look back on my logs, I can see that my life is a journey, rather than just being a Groundhog Day where everything is always the same.

2. Keeps me accountable

When I don’t feel like doing anything, I remember that I’m sabotaging the “tomorrow version” of myself, who’s going to wake up and not have anything to put in the log. Occasionally, I’ll have to cop to not doing anything and log a “?” for those days. If the day is almost over and I’m scrambling to do something, I’ll add a sentence or two to a short story I’m working on. Then, I can wake up the next day and put “I worked on my short story” for that day’s log. It might not be writing a novel, but it’s still something I can be proud of.

3. Lets me cherish the really important days

At the end of each month, I mark especially notable days in bold. These “Bold Days” don’t have any specific criteria; they’re just ones that were especially important in terms of development or effort. For instance, if I complete an important project or go to a new place, that can be considered a Bold Day. The hope is to make every day a Bold Day. It doesn’t always happen, but I’ve been doing pretty well.

4. Allows me to reflect

Another aspect of this project is reflections. At the end of each month (and year), I consider what has happened and how it has affected me. This has been things like the start of a romantic relationship, adapting to a new living situation, or simply dealing with mental frustrations. Being able to write how I’m feeling without judgment of said feelings allows me to bring more mindfulness into my life.

5. Helps me remember things

I’m not going to say that I have a perfect memory, but I can confidently say that recapping my days has helped to make my memory stronger. When I look back on previous logs, I can better recall past experiences. As we get older, life can feel like it’s going by in a flash and that there’s a lack of meaningful experiences. Taking note of my experiences lets me play movies of my life in my head. Plus, if I ever want to write my memoirs, I’ll already have extensive notes available.

Brody Kenny is a freelance writer. He focuses on self-improvement and mental development, as well as arts & culture. Learn more at brodykenny.com

In 2015, I made a New Years resolution. At the start of each day, I would review what I had done the previous day and log it in a text file. This wouldn’t be literally everything (Otherwise it would get rather tedious); just things that were worth remembering or indicated some kind of action had been taken that would move me forward, no matter how small. If I made a new recipe, it would go in. If I saw a new movie, it would go in. Four years later, and I can safely say that this is one of the best decisions I have ever made. These are some of the ways recapping my days has changed my life.

Gives my life an arc

There’s a famous quote from C.S. Lewis: “Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back everything is different?” Life can feel like it’s rushing by you, and you can easily lose of track and how you got to where you are. By logging my days (usefully in single sentences; this isn’t a lengthy diary), I can more easily trace how I got to where I am now When did I move into my current residence? When did I leave a previous job? When I look back on my logs, I can see that my life is a journey, rather than just being a Groundhog Day where everything is always the same.

2. Keeps me accountable

When I don’t feel like doing anything, I remember that I’m sabotaging the “tomorrow version” of myself, who’s going to wake up and not have anything to put in the log. Occasionally, I’ll have to cop to not doing anything and log a “?” for those days. If the day is almost over and I’m scrambling to do something, I’ll add a sentence or two to a short story I’m working on. Then, I can wake up the next day and put “I worked on my short story” for that day’s log. It might not be writing a novel, but it’s still something I can be proud of.

3. Lets me cherish the really important days

At the end of each month, I mark especially notable days in bold. These “Bold Days” don’t have any specific criteria; they’re just ones that were especially important in terms of development or effort. For instance, if I complete an important project or go to a new place, that can be considered a Bold Day. The hope is to make every day a Bold Day. It doesn’t always happen, but I’ve been doing pretty well.

4. Allows me to reflect

Another aspect of this project is reflections. At the end of each month (and year), I consider what has happened and how it has affected me. This has been things like the start of a romantic relationship, adapting to a new living situation, or simply dealing with mental frustrations. Being able to write how I’m feeling without judgment of said feelings allows me to bring more mindfulness into my life.

5. Helps me remember things

I’m not going to say that I have a perfect memory, but I can confidently say that recapping my days has helped to make my memory stronger. When I look back on previous logs, I can better recall past experiences. As we get older, life can feel like it’s going by in a flash and that there’s a lack of meaningful experiences. Taking note of my experiences lets me play movies of my life in my head. Plus, if I ever want to write my memoirs, I’ll already have extensive notes available.
Brody Kenny is a freelance writer. He focuses on self-improvement and mental development, as well as arts & culture. Learn more at brodykenny.com

]]>https://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/how-recapping-my-days-changed-my-life/feed/55 Ways To Discover Your Passion and Make a Profithttps://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/5-ways-to-discover-your-passion-and-make-a-profit/
https://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/5-ways-to-discover-your-passion-and-make-a-profit/#commentsFri, 11 Jan 2019 03:58:59 +0000https://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/?p=61447You're reading 5 Ways To Discover Your Passion and Make a Profit, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you're enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

It’s Sunday evening and you are dreading going to work the next day. You hear people advise you, “Follow your passion!” Of course you’d love to, if only you knew what your passion was.

You are probably a work hard play hard kind of person, committed to your job, and good at what you do. You are smart, professional and an over-achiever. But you are tired of feeling bored and unfulfilled, investing your valuable time in a company that could replace you in a week. You want more, you want to make the switch but you're not sure what to do.

If you are feeling stuck, you are not alone. Here are five ways to discover your passion and how to find ways to make it profitable. Take your time through this process and know that, no matter what, every little step is getting you closer to the life and career you want.

1. Ask yourself these five simple questions:

What subject could I read 100 books and not get bored?

What could I do for 10 years without getting paid?

What would I spend my day doing if I had complete financial freedom?

What hobbies did I enjoy before life got in the way?

What did I love doing as a child that I might still love today?

Identifying your passion could be this easy. Allowing yourself to explore these questions can shed some light on your unconscious passion. Feel free to let your mind run wild. After all, sometimes the craziest ideas are the best ones, ask Steve Jobs ;)

2. Explore your talents

What are some of the things that you are good at and enjoy doing? Identifying things you love that you are good at is a great way to discover potential passions. A great example is my client, Daniel, who is an avid social media user. Posting on social media came effortlessly for him, with creative taglines. He knew which days and what times to post for a better result. After a few coaching sessions together he decided to talk to the owner of the small company he worked for, to take over their social media. He offered to do it for free for a few weeks given he had no experience. Not only did he excel at it, he quit his job and now runs his own social media marketing firm (still runs the social media pages for his old boss).

Don’t overthink it if what you love doesn’t seem practical or common at first (the uncommon can become your niche market). Remind yourself that you don’t need to be great at something for it to qualify as a passion. The only thing that matters is that you enjoy it.

3. Discern between a hobby and a profitable passion

Now that you might have an idea of what your passion could be you need to make the distinction between a hobby and a profitable passion. We all have hobbies but could one of them turn into a career? Who would benefit from (and pay for) this? These questions could simply be answered by researching online about your passion and which ways you could make money from it. Find ways in which people with the same passion are generating income from it. Find out about the pros or cons. Spend 10 minutes today and make that research. You’d be surprised the many industries that could benefit from your passion.

4. Think outside the box

So you have discovered your profitable passion. Now it’s time to think outside the box and find ways where your passion can fit in a market. For example, my client Michael loves to draw cartoons. He came to me one day overwhelmed about his job and desperately looking for a career change. Like most of my clients he didn’t know where to begin. He knew he was great at drawing cartoons but never thought he could make a profit from it. During our coaching sessions he discovered that the film and TV industry often hire cartoonist to draw the scenes for the director in order to visualize the final result. Now, Michael is spending his summers in New York and winters in Hawaii and makes a six figure income doing what he loves in an unexpected way. If you keep an open mind you will discover ways where your passion will fit. If you don’t know it right now, it is OK. This process takes time but I promise you, it will come.

5. Enjoy the process

When you begin the quest of seeking your passion, there will be parts of you that will go into rebellion. It is important to understand that the mind doesn’t process change that easily and that it is ok to feel scared at first. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself and try to enjoy the process. Finding your passion should be exciting. The fact that you are reading this means that you want more for yourself and that, my beloved reader, is amazing. Think of this process as a game. Open yourself to noticing new things about yourself. Let happiness run in your body and explore, explore, explore. As Mark Twain said:

"The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why”. - Mark Twain

Lennie Disanto is a writer and Career Coach based in New York City and founder of The Coach of Life. Sign up for free career tips on his website, www.thecoachoflife.com

It’s Sunday evening and you are dreading going to work the next day. You hear people advise you, “Follow your passion!” Of course you’d love to, if only you knew what your passion was.
You are probably a work hard play hard kind of person, committed to your job, and good at what you do. You are smart, professional and an over-achiever. But you are tired of feeling bored and unfulfilled, investing your valuable time in a company that could replace you in a week. You want more, you want to make the switch but you're not sure what to do.
If you are feeling stuck, you are not alone. Here are five ways to discover your passion and how to find ways to make it profitable. Take your time through this process and know that, no matter what, every little step is getting you closer to the life and career you want.

1. Ask yourself these five simple questions:

What subject could I read 100 books and not get bored?

What could I do for 10 years without getting paid?

What would I spend my day doing if I had complete financial freedom?

What hobbies did I enjoy before life got in the way?

What did I love doing as a child that I might still love today?

Identifying your passion could be this easy. Allowing yourself to explore these questions can shed some light on your unconscious passion. Feel free to let your mind run wild. After all, sometimes the craziest ideas are the best ones, ask Steve Jobs ;)

2. Explore your talents

What are some of the things that you are good at and enjoy doing? Identifying things you love that you are good at is a great way to discover potential passions. A great example is my client, Daniel, who is an avid social media user. Posting on social media came effortlessly for him, with creative taglines. He knew which days and what times to post for a better result. After a few coaching sessions together he decided to talk to the owner of the small company he worked for, to take over their social media. He offered to do it for free for a few weeks given he had no experience. Not only did he excel at it, he quit his job and now runs his own social media marketing firm (still runs the social media pages for his old boss).
Don’t overthink it if what you love doesn’t seem practical or common at first (the uncommon can become your niche market). Remind yourself that you don’t need to be great at something for it to qualify as a passion. The only thing that matters is that you enjoy it.

3. Discern between a hobby and a profitable passion

Now that you might have an idea of what your passion could be you need to make the distinction between a hobby and a profitable passion. We all have hobbies but could one of them turn into a career? Who would benefit from (and pay for) this? These questions could simply be answered by researching online about your passion and which ways you could make money from it. Find ways in which people with the same passion are generating income from it. Find out about the pros or cons. Spend 10 minutes today and make that research. You’d be surprised the many industries that could benefit from your passion.

4. Think outside the box

So you have discovered your profitable passion. Now it’s time to think outside the box and find ways where your passion can fit in a market. For example, my client Michael loves to draw cartoons. He came to me one day overwhelmed about his job and desperately looking for a career change. Like most of my clients he didn’t know where to begin. He knew he was great at drawing cartoons but never thought he could make a profit from it. During our coaching sessions he discovered that the film and TV industry often hire cartoonist to draw the scenes for the director in order to visualize the final result. Now, Michael is spending his summers in New York and winters in Hawaii and makes a six figure income doing what he loves in an unexpected way. If you keep an open mind you will discover ways where your passion will fit. If you don’t know it right now, it is OK. This process takes time but I promise you, it will come.

5. Enjoy the process

When you begin the quest of seeking your passion, there will be parts of you that will go into rebellion. It is important to understand that the mind doesn’t process change that easily and that it is ok to feel scared at first. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself and try to enjoy the process. Finding your passion should be exciting. The fact that you are reading this means that you want more for yourself and that, my beloved reader, is amazing. Think of this process as a game. Open yourself to noticing new things about yourself. Let happiness run in your body and explore, explore, explore. As Mark Twain said:

"The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why”. - Mark Twain

Lennie Disanto is a writer and Career Coach based in New York City and founder of The Coach of Life. Sign up for free career tips on his website, www.thecoachoflife.com

Most of us don’t even know the depth of our problems. 60–70% of the time I’m mistaken in doing so. It’s my father or my journal that uncovers the whole situation for me most of the times.

I never knew that I was so reactive.
I never knew that negative self-talk was a problem.
I never knew that I was playing blame-game with myself.
I never knew that I was lying to myself.

There’s a lot that I still don’t know. But I’m hopeful. I’ve come this far already, and there’s no way I’m turning back.

What’s Personal Growth? (sounds boring)

To the mind, it is just another term that it will get excited about for a few hours. After that, it’ll have or create something else to long for.

I became a fan of personal growth after discovering all the problems I was suffering from.

A sense of responsibility emerged after getting to know that I was sleepwalking through life. And it was high time that I woke up and took control.

All of this excited me to work over myself. I had found a real-time battleground to exercise my mind muscles.

It’s a great feeling.

But there’s a point from where you start your journey of Personal Growth.

That point is self-awareness. It’s a realization. A skill to be honed.

A Few Words On Self-Awareness

For an average person, 10–20% of the stuff he/she does/thinks is conscious.

Going deeper, what about our thoughts? How much aware are we for the script running inside our heads?

Totally unguarded. Our thoughts are like the reflection of what’s churning inside. Nothing better than them can tell you about your current state.

My mind mostly manufactures negative thoughts. I’ve been feeding “attention” to them for a long time.

And the surprising fact is, that after getting kicked from several sides, I still feed them. POWER OF HABIT!! 😯

Consider this

“That’s what everybody does! There’s nothing wrong in that! What I did was completely okay. I’m not going to back off. It’s their fault. They’re thinking the wrong stuff.”

What sort of mentality does this represent? It represents the justification model.

And they’re my thoughts. I’ve justified people and myself so much that it became a part of me! Justifying.

Till the time my parents kept telling me that I justified too much, I wasn’t convinced. But the day I “heard” this thought for myself, I started working on it.

The first step towards personal growth is self-awareness. To know what’s going on inside you.

The №1 Habit Of Self-Aware People

Journaling. Reflection. Takeaways.

Journaling works like magic. You write in it once and you’re going to come back. Provided you don’t get intimidated by all the junk you see upfront.

You have to listen to the voice ringing “inside” your head. It’s the answer to all of your questions.

If you’ve been feeling uneasy for some time, sit down and relax. Then watch your thoughts float by.

The thought of betraying that shopkeeper has been disturbing you. You note it down and fix the problem if you can. And if you can’t, you take it as a lesson for next time.

Journaling is a great habit. If we write in our journal daily for 20 minutes, we’ll do wonders.

Why?

Because it increases the amount of attention we’re paying inside. So our mind gets nourishment and we develop new habits and mind patterns.

We can totally rewire our beliefs and thoughts.

It has been my experience with journaling. During the fresh morning hours, if I write about my mistakes and rant about what’s going inside, it helps me the whole day.

It tells me where I went wrong. Where my mind is still stuck. I take measures to improve those weak areas, create small pointers/mantras. Those mantras keep repeating inside my head a few time during the day.

When I had first started to journal, the format was pretty weird. But it was the quickest and most effective one.

Whatever I thought was wrong was framed into one sentence and was written two times. Every day.

Supposed I have 7 sentences. Then I’ll be writing 14 sentences in all and this will be repeated every day. This procedure hammered the same points in my brain repeatedly.

And this was supposed to be done before sleeping. Researchers say that any activity if done within 10–15 mins before sleeping, it reaches your sub-conscious mind. The most powerful and influential aspect of our life.

And I could feel it. My habits and mind patterns were getting slowly aligned to the sentences I wrote.

“I shall not touch junk food without permission of my Mom.”

This sentence used to ring inside my head like an alarm when I would head to the nearest conventional store.

It was like my journal book was going around with me in my head. Imparting directions to a blind man who is clueless about the directions.

Be True To Yourself

It’s the only way to transform your life through self-awareness. Otherwise, our lives are drifting away in the pursuit of “becoming” someone else for someone else.

Treat your journal like a mirror. Why do self-help gurus call it “self-reflection”? ‘Cause it really is! You’re looking at the thing as it is.

It is the practice for you where you “push yourself” out of your comfort zone. You face the hard truth as it is. AS IT IS. AS IT IS!

If we get complacent about the practice and show mercy on ourselves, it won’t work. Be ruthless when it comes to finding out your mistakes. Treat yourself like some other guy.

When we look at others’ problems, we become the guru and figure out where he/she is going wrong. And how obvious it is to recognize the truth and work on it.

But when it comes to us, we fail to stay strict. We fail to abolish the “soft corner.”

When we’ll be able to look at the whole situation with a new perspective with all of its aspects covered, the best solution will arise. Ones that you might have never thought of.

A Precaution

Journaling is a highly motivating task if done properly.

But I’ve faced one of the most common problems. Losing hope.

When I saw the list of problems and huge paragraphs, all about my mistakes, I got demotivated. I thought that there was no point in doing all this.

But no. The whole point of journaling is to tell you that there are mistakes with which we identify. We are not the mistake.

I am a liar. Instead of such a self-defeating statement, try this, I lied.

It is a challenge in itself to stay charged and powered to fight your mistakes. But trust me, it’s worth it. Nothing can give you more satisfaction than working on yourself gives.

Conclusion

I know it isn’t easy. To bombard ourselves with ugly truths.

It is hard to write what is unacceptable for us, but so evident.

These things don’t work like magic. They need time and effort. Provided you follow the proper guidelines.

Sometimes, you won’t be able to figure out the problem. Approach someone you trust and know who might help you out.

For example, whenever I think that I’m missing a point somewhere. When the dots don’t seem to connect. I approach my father. He pitches in and further streamlines and filters the problem to the core along with a perfect solution.

A new perspective is always healthy for your personal growth. It doesn’t matter who provides it.

But you need to be honest. Till the time I was not facing the truth and being honest, the results didn’t come to me.

It needs courage. It needs boldness. It needs willpower. All of this to nail down and face the truth.

It increases self-confidence and motivates you for further change.

It has brought about a positive change in my life and made me more self-aware. I enjoy journaling. ‘Cause I get to play with my head for a while. It’s challenging at times. And that’s when it gets exciting!

You’ll see the results only if you do the work. — Jeff Goins

If you liked this article and would like to stuff more such content in your psyche, check out my blog, Connecting Dots!

There's one problem when it comes to Personal Growth.
Most of us don’t even know the depth of our problems. 60–70% of the time I’m mistaken in doing so. It’s my father or my journal that uncovers the whole situation for me most of the times.

I never knew that I was so reactive.
I never knew that negative self-talk was a problem.
I never knew that I was playing blame-game with myself.
I never knew that I was lying to myself.

There’s a lot that I still don’t know. But I’m hopeful. I’ve come this far already, and there’s no way I’m turning back.

What’s Personal Growth? (sounds boring)

To the mind, it is just another term that it will get excited about for a few hours. After that, it’ll have or create something else to long for.
I became a fan of personal growth after discovering all the problems I was suffering from.
A sense of responsibility emerged after getting to know that I was sleepwalking through life. And it was high time that I woke up and took control.
All of this excited me to work over myself. I had found a real-time battleground to exercise my mind muscles.
It’s a great feeling.
But there’s a point from where you start your journey of Personal Growth.
That point is self-awareness. It’s a realization. A skill to be honed.

A Few Words On Self-Awareness

For an average person, 10–20% of the stuff he/she does/thinks is conscious.
Going deeper, what about our thoughts? How much aware are we for the script running inside our heads?
Totally unguarded. Our thoughts are like the reflection of what’s churning inside. Nothing better than them can tell you about your current state.
My mind mostly manufactures negative thoughts. I’ve been feeding “attention” to them for a long time.
And the surprising fact is, that after getting kicked from several sides, I still feed them. POWER OF HABIT!! 😯
Consider this
“That’s what everybody does! There’s nothing wrong in that! What I did was completely okay. I’m not going to back off. It’s their fault. They’re thinking the wrong stuff.”
What sort of mentality does this represent? It represents the justification model.
And they’re my thoughts. I’ve justified people and myself so much that it became a part of me! Justifying.
Till the time my parents kept telling me that I justified too much, I wasn’t convinced. But the day I “heard” this thought for myself, I started working on it.
The first step towards personal growth is self-awareness. To know what’s going on inside you.

The №1 Habit Of Self-Aware People

Journaling. Reflection. Takeaways.
Journaling works like magic. You write in it once and you’re going to come back. Provided you don’t get intimidated by all the junk you see upfront.
You have to listen to the voice ringing “inside” your head. It’s the answer to all of your questions.
If you’ve been feeling uneasy for some time, sit down and relax. Then watch your thoughts float by.
The thought of betraying that shopkeeper has been disturbing you. You note it down and fix the problem if you can. And if you can’t, you take it as a lesson for next time.
Journaling is a great habit. If we write in our journal daily for 20 minutes, we’ll do wonders.
Why?
Because it increases the amount of attention we’re paying inside. So our mind gets nourishment and we develop new habits and mind patterns.
We can totally rewire our beliefs and thoughts.
It has been my experience with journaling. During the fresh morning hours, if I write about my mistakes and rant about what’s going inside, it helps me the whole day.
It tells me where I went wrong. Where my mind is still stuck. I take measures to improve those weak areas, create small pointers/mantras. Those mantras keep repeating inside my head a few time during the day.
When I had first started to journal, the format was pretty weird. But it was the quickest and most effective one.
Whatever I thought was wrong was framed into one sentence and was written two times. Every day.
Supposed I have 7 sentences. Then I’ll be writing 14 sentences in all and this will be repeated every day. This procedure hammered the same points in my brain repeatedly.
And this was supposed to be done before sleeping. Researchers say that any activity if done within 10–15 mins before sleeping, it reaches your sub-conscious mind. The most powerful and influential aspect of our life.
And I could feel it. My habits and mind patterns were getting slowly aligned to the sentences I wrote.
“I shall not touch junk food without permission of my Mom.”
This sentence used to ring inside my head like an alarm when I would head to the nearest conventional store.
It was like my journal book was going around with me in my head. Imparting directions to a blind man who is clueless about the directions.

Be True To Yourself

It’s the only way to transform your life through self-awareness. Otherwise, our lives are drifting away in the pursuit of “becoming” someone else for someone else.
Treat your journal like a mirror. Why do self-help gurus call it “self-reflection”? ‘Cause it really is! You’re looking at the thing as it is.
It is the practice for you where you “push yourself” out of your comfort zone. You face the hard truth as it is. AS IT IS. AS IT IS!
If we get complacent about the practice and show mercy on ourselves, it won’t work. Be ruthless when it comes to finding out your mistakes. Treat yourself like some other guy.
When we look at others’ problems, we become the guru and figure out where he/she is going wrong. And how obvious it is to recognize the truth and work on it.
But when it comes to us, we fail to stay strict. We fail to abolish the “soft corner.”
When we’ll be able to look at the whole situation with a new perspective with all of its aspects covered, the best solution will arise. Ones that you might have never thought of.

A Precaution

Journaling is a highly motivating task if done properly.
But I’ve faced one of the most common problems. Losing hope.
When I saw the list of problems and huge paragraphs, all about my mistakes, I got demotivated. I thought that there was no point in doing all this.
But no. The whole point of journaling is to tell you that there are mistakes with which we identify. We are not the mistake.
I am a liar. Instead of such a self-defeating statement, try this, I lied.
It is a challenge in itself to stay charged and powered to fight your mistakes. But trust me, it’s worth it. Nothing can give you more satisfaction than working on yourself gives.

Conclusion

I know it isn’t easy. To bombard ourselves with ugly truths.
It is hard to write what is unacceptable for us, but so evident.
These things don’t work like magic. They need time and effort. Provided you follow the proper guidelines.
Sometimes, you won’t be able to figure out the problem. Approach someone you trust and know who might help you out.
For example, whenever I think that I’m missing a point somewhere. When the dots don’t seem to connect. I approach my father. He pitches in and further streamlines and filters the problem to the core along with a perfect solution.
A new perspective is always healthy for your personal growth. It doesn’t matter who provides it.
But you need to be honest. Till the time I was not facing the truth and being honest, the results didn’t come to me.
It needs courage. It needs boldness. It needs willpower. All of this to nail down and face the truth.
It increases self-confidence and motivates you for further change.
It has brought about a positive change in my life and made me more self-aware. I enjoy journaling. ‘Cause I get to play with my head for a while. It’s challenging at times. And that’s when it gets exciting!
You’ll see the results only if you do the work. — Jeff Goins

If you liked this article and would like to stuff more such content in your psyche, check out my blog, Connecting Dots!

"If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?" For Misha Kouzeh, it would be empowering students to achieve their highest potential by fighting hunger, combatting climate change, pursuing equality or eliminating poverty. Because they're the change makers of our future.

Born and raised in the Netherlands, Misha Kouzeh moved as an international student from the other side of the ocean to Los Angeles in 2015 to pursue her American dream. Inspired to start a global journey and make a difference, she arrived energized and happy, not knowing what it would take for her to find her purpose and start creating a legacy.

Today, she is a lecturer at California State University Northridge as well as UCLAx and works as a Climate Leader at CSUN's Institute for Sustainability, in the first-ever Cal State University Sustainability Center, among its 23 established campuses across California.

In her upcoming TEDx CSUN talk, "Find your purpose to create your LEGACY", she will explain how her self-developed 5-T framework got her to where she is now: Travel, Trial, Tribe, Teach and Thrive. Fun fact: she knows 6 languages and dreams in a different language depending on the topic.

Inspired to start a global journey and make a difference, I arrived energized and happy, not knowing what it would take for me to find my purpose and start building a meaningful career.
Here is how it went:

I moved to the U.S. as an international student from the Netherlands.

I got rejected by Fortune 500 companies because they didn't want to take the risk.

They would have to sponsor my visa.

I had two Master's Degrees, experience at global and local companies, worked with the United Nations, co-founded two companies, and had a LinkedIn network of 1,200+ connections.

All my education is in English and I have knowledge of 5 other languages.

I sacrificed everything for my education and career to be here. Family, friends, promotions and most of all, comfort.

This is what had to be done:

I grinded to find volunteer opportunities and attended networking events every week.

I had to fight to learn the laws, regulations and educate myself to understand how to succeed here.

I studied at UCLA Extension and started guest lecturing to my peers to help them get hired and advance their career.

I developed a course at UCLA to become a lecturer and became a UCLA One mentor.

I found a job in Higher Education to make a difference for other students.

I am now a Climate Leader at CSUN's Institute for Sustainability, in the first-ever Cal State University Sustainability Center, among its 23 established campuses across California.

This is my New Year's wish for everyone:

Don't give up on your dreams! When you find your purpose, hold onto it or find the resources to pursue it. I did it. You can do it too!

Connect with me through LinkedIn.
"If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?" For Misha Kouzeh, it would be empowering students to achieve their highest potential by fighting hunger, combatting climate change, pursuing equality or eliminating poverty. Because they're the change makers of our future.Born and raised in the Netherlands, Misha Kouzeh moved as an international student from the other side of the ocean to Los Angeles in 2015 to pursue her American dream. Inspired to start a global journey and make a difference, she arrived energized and happy, not knowing what it would take for her to find her purpose and start creating a legacy.Today, she is a lecturer at California State University Northridge as well as UCLAx and works as a Climate Leader at CSUN's Institute for Sustainability, in the first-ever Cal State University Sustainability Center, among its 23 established campuses across California.In her upcoming TEDx CSUN talk, "Find your purpose to create your LEGACY", she will explain how her self-developed 5-T framework got her to where she is now: Travel, Trial, Tribe, Teach and Thrive. Fun fact: she knows 6 languages and dreams in a different language depending on the topic.

]]>https://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/i-crossed-the-ocean-to-find-my-purpose/feed/3Motivation and Self-Discipline Tips for Every Artisthttps://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/motivation-and-self-discipline-tips-for-every-artist/
https://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/motivation-and-self-discipline-tips-for-every-artist/#commentsTue, 08 Jan 2019 03:51:26 +0000https://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/?p=61037You're reading Motivation and Self-Discipline Tips for Every Artist, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you're enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Have you heard a saying “creative mess”?

It’s what many people characterize artists by, as creative chaos is the lifestyle of any creator. There are even supporters of a so-called “the creative chaos theory”, who claim that a creative process is impossible without a little mess.

But if an artist wants to build a business out of the works he or she created, it’s absolutely necessary to bring some good planning and organization into this whole process. Moreover, when building your own business, self-discipline also plays an important role.

But how can an artist, who’s often guided by spontaneity and impulse, become organized in order to build a successful business? Here are some useful motivation and self-discipline tips for every artist.

1. Make a Habit of Getting up Early

Waking up early gives you more time to do everything you’ve planned. And even though according to a research night owls and early risers have different brain structures and therefore have different work patterns, making a habit of getting up early (at least earlier at 11 a.m.) will help you adapt better and be more self-disciplined.

Other benefits of getting up early include enhancing your productivity, having more time for exercise and many more. Moreover, if you get up early, you’ll have more quiet time when everyone is still sleeping to think about your plans and ideas.

Besides, seeing that gorgeous sunset will definitely be an inspiration for an entire day!

2. Learn How to Schedule

Scheduling is the first step to becoming more motivated and organized. “We often organize planning and scheduling classes for our employees”, says Julie Warner, an HR manager from A-Writer. “Scheduling is aimed at enhancing productivity, it inspires you to move forward.

If you want to create a business out of your art, planning is the first thing you should learn how to do. It will help you structure your work better and do everything step-by-step. Thus, you’ll not only feel motivated and disciplined, you’ll also feel more secure about the work you’ve done.

So in order to be more motivated and self-disciplined, it is necessary to create distraction-free time zones, when you do not let yourself be diverted from your plans. You can try some of these tips:

Set deadlines: setting a “now” deadline can help you put yourself back on track. Besides, if you know that you have to finish a certain project by a certain date, it will push you set back all distraction and work more productively;

Use various apps and tools to get you off your gadgets: such apps as Pomodoro and Forest offer interesting techniques that will help you put away your gadgets and concentrate on your work.

4. Review Your Goals

Reviewing your goals is a habit that you should commit to on a weekly basis. Why weekly? After you’ve worked the whole week on achieving your goals, it’s absolutely necessary to review them and see how much you’ve done and how much it’s needed to be done more in order to achieve them.

When reviewing your goals, try to look from the perspective and be more objective. Do not punish yourself if you think that you haven’t done enough. Success is not measured by achieving a certain goal. It’s about making efforts and committing to the goal, and every step that you make on your way to achieving it.

5. Don’t Forget about Having a Free Time

Working on creating your own business is a very time-consuming and sometimes an overwhelming task. Once you get into it, you may soon find yourself completely deprived of rest and free time to spend with your friends and loved ones.

Depriving yourself of having some free time can also negatively impact your creativity and leave you completely exhausted. That is why, when scheduling, always dedicate at least a day to having a rest, running your own personal errands, meeting with your friends and family. Use this time to reset your body and mind, and to get into a productive mood for the week ahead.

And In Conclusion

Don’t punish yourself for failing. If you know that you lack motivation and self-discipline, if you try to become more organized but fail from time to time, it’s absolutely fine. We learn by failing, that is why we need to allow ourselves to fail. This makes us stronger.

Once you understand that motivation and self-discipline are inalienable parts of a creating a successful business, any issues coming your way won’t stress you. You’ll be able to retain your motivation and won’t lose inspiration to create more.

Besides, you’ll learn that self-discipline is also a part of being creative, as it puts your minds at ease and helps you concentrate on your artistic works.

It’s what many people characterize artists by, as creative chaos is the lifestyle of any creator. There are even supporters of a so-called “the creative chaos theory”, who claim that a creative process is impossible without a little mess.

But if an artist wants to build a business out of the works he or she created, it’s absolutely necessary to bring some good planning and organization into this whole process. Moreover, when building your own business, self-discipline also plays an important role.

But how can an artist, who’s often guided by spontaneity and impulse, become organized in order to build a successful business? Here are some useful motivation and self-discipline tips for every artist.

1. Make a Habit of Getting up Early

Waking up early gives you more time to do everything you’ve planned. And even though according to a research night owls and early risers have different brain structures and therefore have different work patterns, making a habit of getting up early (at least earlier at 11 a.m.) will help you adapt better and be more self-disciplined.

Other benefits of getting up early include enhancing your productivity, having more time for exercise and many more. Moreover, if you get up early, you’ll have more quiet time when everyone is still sleeping to think about your plans and ideas.

Besides, seeing that gorgeous sunset will definitely be an inspiration for an entire day!

2. Learn How to Schedule

Scheduling is the first step to becoming more motivated and organized. “We often organize planning and scheduling classes for our employees”, says Julie Warner, an HR manager from A-Writer. “Scheduling is aimed at enhancing productivity, it inspires you to move forward.

If you want to create a business out of your art, planning is the first thing you should learn how to do. It will help you structure your work better and do everything step-by-step. Thus, you’ll not only feel motivated and disciplined, you’ll also feel more secure about the work you’ve done.

So in order to be more motivated and self-disciplined, it is necessary to create distraction-free time zones, when you do not let yourself be diverted from your plans. You can try some of these tips:

Set deadlines: setting a “now” deadline can help you put yourself back on track. Besides, if you know that you have to finish a certain project by a certain date, it will push you set back all distraction and work more productively;

Use various apps and tools to get you off your gadgets: such apps as Pomodoro and Forest offer interesting techniques that will help you put away your gadgets and concentrate on your work.

4. Review Your Goals

Reviewing your goals is a habit that you should commit to on a weekly basis. Why weekly? After you’ve worked the whole week on achieving your goals, it’s absolutely necessary to review them and see how much you’ve done and how much it’s needed to be done more in order to achieve them.

When reviewing your goals, try to look from the perspective and be more objective. Do not punish yourself if you think that you haven’t done enough. Success is not measured by achieving a certain goal. It’s about making efforts and committing to the goal, and every step that you make on your way to achieving it.

5. Don’t Forget about Having a Free Time

Working on creating your own business is a very time-consuming and sometimes an overwhelming task. Once you get into it, you may soon find yourself completely deprived of rest and free time to spend with your friends and loved ones.

Depriving yourself of having some free time can also negatively impact your creativity and leave you completely exhausted. That is why, when scheduling, always dedicate at least a day to having a rest, running your own personal errands, meeting with your friends and family. Use this time to reset your body and mind, and to get into a productive mood for the week ahead.

And In Conclusion

Don’t punish yourself for failing. If you know that you lack motivation and self-discipline, if you try to become more organized but fail from time to time, it’s absolutely fine. We learn by failing, that is why we need to allow ourselves to fail. This makes us stronger.

Once you understand that motivation and self-discipline are inalienable parts of a creating a successful business, any issues coming your way won’t stress you. You’ll be able to retain your motivation and won’t lose inspiration to create more.

Besides, you’ll learn that self-discipline is also a part of being creative, as it puts your minds at ease and helps you concentrate on your artistic works.

Humans never stop learning throughout their entire life. Constantly widening your field of knowledge is going to make your life more fulfilling and healthier. These days, getting intoxicated with unnecessary information via social networks and the internet is almost inevitable. That is why it is very important to learn how to stay focused on stuff that is actually positively contributing to our lives (not sure how scrolling through Kylie Jenner profile ever will).

As humans, we are very curious creatures, and drive towards learning new skills and progressing is in the core of our being. It can be a great way to put more meaning into your life and to connect with other people (including yourself). It boosts your confidence in a very healthy way while giving you a sense of self-reliance.

The definition of success is different for every person. While some will find building a career number one priority in their life, some will see true meaning and prioritize partnership and family. Of course, it does not exclude one another, but each one of us has a different definition of fulfillment and happiness. No matter what those definitions are, the main thing that all humans have in common is a desire for progress. And lifelong education in various fields is a number one when it comes to progress.

You are probably wondering what else could you do after you have already earned your diploma, does not education stop there? The question is, is school even really necessary? Short answer, not really. Yes, having a degree is valuable, but only as valuable as the knowledge you have gathered there. Many people go through universities just for the diploma, leaving the process of learning at the bottom of all priorities. And some people have never entered any academic institution, and yet, you could say that they are like an open encyclopedia. Which comes to the point that school and official education are only as important as your will to learn and study.

So, it is time to redefine the life-long learning process. Best time for learning is now, and the best place for it is – here. There are no limitations when it comes to learning, as the whole life serves us as one big learning and experience-gathering process. But for it to have any meaning, the receiver must be receptive and open to the new knowledge. Speaking in practical terms, there are many ways to learn new skills (and/or share them), and here are some of them:

1. Do Not Be Ashamed To Ask For Knowledge

Each one of us has different skills. If you have a colleague, partner, or a friend, who are well into some of the subjects or crafts you are interested in – go for it. Ask them to share it with you! Knowledge is not meant to be vacuumed. It should circulate among people, and we should all learn from each other. If your neighbor is a hobby ceramist, and you have shown interest in that craft – ask them to introduce you to it. You can offer to help them with something that you may be good at. Keep in mind that sharing is caring, big time!

2. Find Your Hobby

This is a great way to start gaining new skills, without actually engaging in official education. Think about what used to be your biggest dream when you were a kid. Was it to be a painter? A veterinarian? Actress? The best part is that you can try it all! Once you start exploring, you will see your interests unwinding. Who knows where it is going to take you.

3. Invest In Yourself

Learning crafts from your neighbor, and taking on new hobbies are great ways to learn new things. But for some things and interests, asking Google or your neighbor is just not going to be enough. Maybe you have always wanted to perfect your English grammar, and take some English classes, or you wanted to learn to work on a sewing machine. Do not be afraid to invest in yourself. It will reciprocate, and you will find yourself much more satisfied with yourself.

Taking a path of knowledge can be a path of solitude – or a path of great fulfillment. In any case, it is not an easy one. But in order to live our best lives, and be our best selves, we have to surrender ourselves to our basic needs – one of the biggest of them being progress.

Do not wait for the New Years Eve as an excuse to write all 2019 resolutions you know, up front, you are not going to fulfill. Take it slowly, but consistently.

LeilaDorari is a freelance and self improvement enthusiast from Sydey. Currently, she is spreading the word on useful tips and tricks that can skyrocket one's career odds. In her spare time, she is either window shopping or exploring new ways to make her life more meaningful.

Humans never stop learning throughout their entire life. Constantly widening your field of knowledge is going to make your life more fulfilling and healthier. These days, getting intoxicated with unnecessary information via social networks and the internet is almost inevitable. That is why it is very important to learn how to stay focused on stuff that is actually positively contributing to our lives (not sure how scrolling through Kylie Jenner profile ever will).
As humans, we are very curious creatures, and drive towards learning new skills and progressing is in the core of our being. It can be a great way to put more meaning into your life and to connect with other people (including yourself). It boosts your confidence in a very healthy way while giving you a sense of self-reliance.
The definition of success is different for every person. While some will find building a career number one priority in their life, some will see true meaning and prioritize partnership and family. Of course, it does not exclude one another, but each one of us has a different definition of fulfillment and happiness. No matter what those definitions are, the main thing that all humans have in common is a desire for progress. And lifelong education in various fields is a number one when it comes to progress.
You are probably wondering what else could you do after you have already earned your diploma, does not education stop there? The question is, is school even really necessary? Short answer, not really. Yes, having a degree is valuable, but only as valuable as the knowledge you have gathered there. Many people go through universities just for the diploma, leaving the process of learning at the bottom of all priorities. And some people have never entered any academic institution, and yet, you could say that they are like an open encyclopedia. Which comes to the point that school and official education are only as important as your will to learn and study.
So, it is time to redefine the life-long learning process. Best time for learning is now, and the best place for it is – here. There are no limitations when it comes to learning, as the whole life serves us as one big learning and experience-gathering process. But for it to have any meaning, the receiver must be receptive and open to the new knowledge. Speaking in practical terms, there are many ways to learn new skills (and/or share them), and here are some of them:

1. Do Not Be Ashamed To Ask For Knowledge

Each one of us has different skills. If you have a colleague, partner, or a friend, who are well into some of the subjects or crafts you are interested in – go for it. Ask them to share it with you! Knowledge is not meant to be vacuumed. It should circulate among people, and we should all learn from each other. If your neighbor is a hobby ceramist, and you have shown interest in that craft – ask them to introduce you to it. You can offer to help them with something that you may be good at. Keep in mind that sharing is caring, big time!

2. Find Your Hobby

This is a great way to start gaining new skills, without actually engaging in official education. Think about what used to be your biggest dream when you were a kid. Was it to be a painter? A veterinarian? Actress? The best part is that you can try it all! Once you start exploring, you will see your interests unwinding. Who knows where it is going to take you.

3. Invest In Yourself

Learning crafts from your neighbor, and taking on new hobbies are great ways to learn new things. But for some things and interests, asking Google or your neighbor is just not going to be enough. Maybe you have always wanted to perfect your English grammar, and take some English classes, or you wanted to learn to work on a sewing machine. Do not be afraid to invest in yourself. It will reciprocate, and you will find yourself much more satisfied with yourself.
Taking a path of knowledge can be a path of solitude – or a path of great fulfillment. In any case, it is not an easy one. But in order to live our best lives, and be our best selves, we have to surrender ourselves to our basic needs – one of the biggest of them being progress.
Do not wait for the New Years Eve as an excuse to write all 2019 resolutions you know, up front, you are not going to fulfill. Take it slowly, but consistently.
LeilaDorari is a freelance and self improvement enthusiast from Sydey. Currently, she is spreading the word on useful tips and tricks that can skyrocket one's career odds. In her spare time, she is either window shopping or exploring new ways to make her life more meaningful.

]]>https://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/the-pursuit-of-happiness-never-stop-learning/feed/3Fear: The Enemy From Withinhttps://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/fear-the-enemy-from-within/
https://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/fear-the-enemy-from-within/#commentsFri, 04 Jan 2019 03:54:16 +0000https://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/?p=61256You're reading Fear: The Enemy From Within, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you're enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Have you ever found yourself living under the bondage of fear in all spheres of your life? Then this article is a must-read resource. By the way, I was a victim of self-induced fear for over 20 years. To be precise fear made me lose two of my well-paying jobs. I could not express myself. I remember how I skipped school during my lower classes for several weeks for fear of failing the end of term examinations. Boys younger than me, would bully me, and do you know what I did? I used to run home crying.

Be my guest, as I share my story,

I thought it was a regular occurrence

I never took it serious because I thought it was just a passing cloud. However, its intensity increased, and the consequences were dire. Remember, fear comes in many forms, therefore, knowing its nature, is the only way out.

How did I know that I was under the captivity of fear? A good question, the following were my preliminary observations,

I started having goosebumps in my stomach. I always felt as if I had many butterflies in my stomach.

My mouth and throat would dry up.

I would experience sporadic lapses in breathing.

My voice disappearing or being inaudibly low.

Feeling tensed all over the body.

Sweating profusely.

Restlessness and trembling.

I was always shy.

I thought this was all; however, I was wrong, this was the beginning. Fear started having far-reaching effects on me. In other words, it started commanding me. I had lost it. I had no power over my reactions anymore.

Here are the far-reaching effects of fear that I encountered

I became indecisive. I just followed what others did, said, or thought. I had no opinion of my own.

I secluded myself from others and was always in deep thoughts.

I started faking things to remain relevant.

Everything now became excessive. If it were watching a movie, I would do it excessively and thoroughly. To make matters worse, I started smoking and drinking heavily. I thought this would give me the courage to face fear head-on. However, this was my greatest undoing.

My life came into a standstill. I feared to do anything to avoid criticism, correction, or rejection.

Fear triggered stress resulting in depression.

Fear related actions were the reason I lost my two well-paying jobs.

I have to take control or else…

Yes, I had to do something to regain my self-esteem. I was no match to fear. I had to unmask FEAR!

What did I do?

Started reading books and other resources on meditation and slowly, things started working out. I began experiencing some level of confidence and calmness. Remember fear only works well in the absence of faith therefore as I meditated, my inner me was rejuvenated boosting my faith. It dealt fear a big blow.

I purposed to attend public events. Yeah, attending games, gyms, exercises, and other social gatherings, this boosted my confidence and self-esteem.

I had to stop drinking and smoking altogether. Smoking and drinking can trigger nervousness, which may become an excellent breeding ground for fear.

Finally, I connected with people who knew more about or suffered fear or anxiety. I did this through joining Facebook pages and groups that had fear as their theme. Through sharing, I was able to push my confidence to great heights.

I also joined the midweek bible fellowship. As others shared their predicaments, I was able to open up and start sharing. Sharing as I later learned is the most effective way of fighting fear.

A must know

You will lose miserably if you do not know your adversary. Your adversary is FEAR.

What is fear? Fear means being afraid of something or someone. Good still, we can define fear as an inward reaction to a possible threat or harm. Now you know, fear not. Because fear is not what you feel or think.

Conclusion

What have we learned? That fear uses our feelings to manipulate us. However, as we fight fear, we should know that it is part of our neural system. Taming our feelings and emotions will put fear under our will. Fear is the catalyst behind the many actions or decisions we take or make daily. Thank you for being my guest. Let us meet again as we tackle another topic on self-improvement.

About the Author,

Benedict is a Freelance Content Writer/Interviewer. He has ghost written for many sites. Benedict has also been published on various sites, Faith Filled Family Magazine and See The Good blog among others. He is an upcoming Author. He is the founder of wordforlife830.WordPress.com blog. He is an entrepreneur.

Have you ever found yourself living under the bondage of fear in all spheres of your life? Then this article is a must-read resource. By the way, I was a victim of self-induced fear for over 20 years. To be precise fear made me lose two of my well-paying jobs. I could not express myself. I remember how I skipped school during my lower classes for several weeks for fear of failing the end of term examinations. Boys younger than me, would bully me, and do you know what I did? I used to run home crying.
Be my guest, as I share my story,
I thought it was a regular occurrence
I never took it serious because I thought it was just a passing cloud. However, its intensity increased, and the consequences were dire. Remember, fear comes in many forms, therefore, knowing its nature, is the only way out.
How did I know that I was under the captivity of fear? A good question, the following were my preliminary observations,

I started having goosebumps in my stomach. I always felt as if I had many butterflies in my stomach.

My mouth and throat would dry up.

I would experience sporadic lapses in breathing.

My voice disappearing or being inaudibly low.

Feeling tensed all over the body.

Sweating profusely.

Restlessness and trembling.

I was always shy.

I thought this was all; however, I was wrong, this was the beginning. Fear started having far-reaching effects on me. In other words, it started commanding me. I had lost it. I had no power over my reactions anymore.
Here are the far-reaching effects of fear that I encountered

I became indecisive. I just followed what others did, said, or thought. I had no opinion of my own.

I secluded myself from others and was always in deep thoughts.

I started faking things to remain relevant.

Everything now became excessive. If it were watching a movie, I would do it excessively and thoroughly. To make matters worse, I started smoking and drinking heavily. I thought this would give me the courage to face fear head-on. However, this was my greatest undoing.

My life came into a standstill. I feared to do anything to avoid criticism, correction, or rejection.

Fear triggered stress resulting in depression.

Fear related actions were the reason I lost my two well-paying jobs.

I have to take control or else…
Yes, I had to do something to regain my self-esteem. I was no match to fear. I had to unmask FEAR! What did I do?

Started reading books and other resources on meditation and slowly, things started working out. I began experiencing some level of confidence and calmness. Remember fear only works well in the absence of faith therefore as I meditated, my inner me was rejuvenated boosting my faith. It dealt fear a big blow.

I purposed to attend public events. Yeah, attending games, gyms, exercises, and other social gatherings, this boosted my confidence and self-esteem.

I had to stop drinking and smoking altogether. Smoking and drinking can trigger nervousness, which may become an excellent breeding ground for fear.

Finally, I connected with people who knew more about or suffered fear or anxiety. I did this through joining Facebook pages and groups that had fear as their theme. Through sharing, I was able to push my confidence to great heights.

I also joined the midweek bible fellowship. As others shared their predicaments, I was able to open up and start sharing. Sharing as I later learned is the most effective way of fighting fear. A must know
You will lose miserably if you do not know your adversary. Your adversary is FEAR.What is fear? Fear means being afraid of something or someone. Good still, we can define fear as an inward reaction to a possible threat or harm. Now you know, fear not. Because fear is not what you feel or think.
ConclusionWhat have we learned? That fear uses our feelings to manipulate us. However, as we fight fear, we should know that it is part of our neural system. Taming our feelings and emotions will put fear under our will. Fear is the catalyst behind the many actions or decisions we take or make daily. Thank you for being my guest. Let us meet again as we tackle another topic on self-improvement.
About the Author,
Benedict is a Freelance Content Writer/Interviewer. He has ghost written for many sites. Benedict has also been published on various sites, Faith Filled Family Magazine and See The Good blog among others. He is an upcoming Author. He is the founder of wordforlife830.WordPress.com blog. He is an entrepreneur.